Automatic circular grinding machine



Jan. 20, 1953 H. G. cRAMER ETAL AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR GRINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1952 INVENTOR. v- 1962, 102 g; 007710? l m M W w w a V B 1953 H. e. cRAMER ETAL ,6

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR GRINDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. #(zmar gs, ggy e 9 Kappa analyze Jan. 20, 1953 H. G. cRAMER ET AL 2,625,773

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR GRINDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3

IN VEN TOR.

BY Y ml Wz Jan. 20, 1953 H. G. cRAMER El'AL 2,625,773

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR GRINDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR GRINDING MACHINE Helmut G. Criimer, Stuttgart-Degerloch, and

Georg Koppenwallner, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany, assignors to Fortuna-Werke Spezialmaschinenfabrik A.-G., Cannstatt, Germany Stuttgart-Bad- Application February 4, 1952, Serial No. 269,772 In Germany October 20, 1949 12 Claims. 1

The invention relates to automatic circular grinding machines in which the movement of the grinding spindle carriage is controlled with electro-hydraulic means by a control impulse set ofi by the feeding mechanism or by a gauging and control device which scales the work blank. The subject of the invention is such installations by means of which all automatic operations for exchanging the blank which follow a definite sequence and must be guided, other than those of the grinding spindle carriage, are carried out under control of the guiding means for the grinding spindle carriage, as for example, progression or stopping of the supporting carriage, retracting and advancing of the gauging device and of the tail stock center, movement of the blank feeder, stepping of the blank supply, operation of the reversing piston for repeating the course of operations.

It has been found that the direct transfer of motion for the aforementioned additional operations from the motion of the grinding spindle carriage, for example, by cam gears, lever connections or the like, does not insure of sufiicient dependability. Also a purely hydraulic transfer was not reliable. Therefore, in accordance with the invention, the driving of the parts to be controllably moved, other than the grinding spindle carriage, is effected by means of a servomotor, as for example, a guiding piston coupled to a tooth rack, gears and a control shaft, which is switched parallel to the guided drive of the grinding spindle carriage, but which delays or advances the different operations with respect to said carriage by means of devices which are known per se. In this manner the guided progression of the individual movements necessary for automatic operation of a grinding machine, which takes place independently of the carriage, but in controlled steps is obtained in the desired sequence. By employing devices which are known per se it is readily possible in accordance with the invention to have the grinding carriage return at high speed at the instant of the control impulse given by the feeding mechanism or by a gauging device and simultaneously, but with retardation, to arrange for the movement of the remaining devices to proceed in the required sequence, while at the end of this series of movements a reversing takes place and thus all operations are effected in the reverse in the corresponding sequence, until the grinding spindle carriage is again approached at the end of all intermediate movements.

A hydraulic piston is preferably used as the 2 servomotor which, during its to and fro movement, moves a control shaft at one of its ends by means of a toothed rod and gear, whence the in and out movements of the gauging device and the arrangement for theblank feeding can be operated; By means of the other-end of the hydraulic control'piston the tail stock point is withdrawn, and that in such a manner, thatthe control piston becomes effective on the tail stock only after traveling a certain idle path by way of a displacement piston.

While this idle distance is being travelled-the grinding spindle carriage moves back and the gauging device is withdrawn. This insures of a definite sequence of the individual operative-steps in a manner that when the workblank has been finished to size the grinding spindle carriage'and the gauging device return upon shifting of the reversing piston, whereupon the tail stock backs up, releases the finished work piece and the'blank feeder moves away the completed work piece. Thereupon follows the advancing of the blank supply while the reversing pistonis shifted to start a new series of operations. A new blank drops from the magazine into the pick-up of the blank feeder which moves back and places the blank into the operation position. Further backward movement of the control piston of the servomotor places the tail stock point into tensioned position and then the gauging device into gauging position. It is a further characteristic feature of the controlling arrangement that the movement of the grinding spindle carriageat high speed into operative position and the to and fro movement of the supporting carriage by the hydraulic pressure means is releasedfor operation only when the tail stock point is tensioned; i. e. when the blank is locked into position; For this purpose a sliding valve is connected into the path of the pressure fluid to the grinding carriage cylinder, or the supporting carriage cylinder which is guided by the displacement piston of the tail'stock point in such a manner that the pressure fluid flow to these cylinders is opened only when the tail stock point is in position of tension. This insures that the grinding spindle carriage and the table support cannot advance unless a blank is locked into position.

In the embodiment in accordance with the invention the fact has also been considered that it may be necessary to delay the moment at which the control impulse on the reversing piston is given by thefeeder mechanism or by a gauging the end of the grinding operation established in connection with an automatic switching operation which depends on a measurement, or with the release of the control impulse for the shifting does not necessarily coincide with that of the end position of the supporting carriage, which is provided for the exchange of blanks. Therefore, care must be taken that the supporting carriage will still advance into the end position, which is chosen for the exchange of blanks and stops there automatically. In addition, it is also desirable for best operating results that upon disconnecting the approach but before return of the grinding spindle carriage a certain number of carriage travels are carried out and the supporting carriage is only brought to rest at the chosen end of the stroke.

A similar delay is also desirable in connection with the so-called cutting grinding without supporting carriage movement after the tool approach isdisconnected. The delay device which serves this purpose may for that reason be operated continuously as well as also under control of the movement of the supporting carriage.

Preferably the delavin arran ement comprises a hydraulic piston (delaying piston) which is put into operation by way of an ad ustable valve and which opens the pressure fluid flow to the reversing piston only in its end position. In order that the-reversin may take place exactly in an end p sition of the carriage the return oil current which is displaced out of the delaying piston is oondiicted through a passage which is connected with the carriage reverse control, or one of the members connected therewith. for example, the carriage reversing cock. and which during longitudinal grinding opens the pressure fluid flow only briefly durin the carria e reversing operation in oneend position of the table support, so that the delaying piston can reach its end position likewise only in one end position of the supporting carriage where the reverse switching takes place. The return'oil passage may in this connection be controlled or guided in such a manner by means of a further control passage connected with a valve piston coupled to the table reverse cock, that the end position of the delaying piston and thus the reversing for the blank exchange is obtained only in a predetermined end position of the carriage, that which is provided for the blank exchange, while in the other end position of the carriageno switching will take place.

Furthermore. safety arrangements are provided which are intended to prevent the interruption .e operations or damage to the machine, for niple, if for anyreason no new blank has arrived in the operatiye position. It is desirable toleliminate such= defect as ouickly as possible andnot to wait for the advancing. of the gauging device into gauging position in which, due to the lack of the blank the gauging arms are located in the end position of the measurement similarly as if the final dimension of a blank had been reached 'so that the control impulse for the exchange of the blank is given. Therefore, contacts are provided at the tail stock point or on a gear member connected therewith and on a machine part which is fixed with respect to the tail stock point. which make contact when the tension position is passed by and release a control impulse which indicates the defect or which m1- tiates'the operations which correspond to an exchange, or which stops the machine as soon as the tail stock point travels beyond its normal tension position owing to the absence of the blank. I Besides, a pair of contacts is arranged in the gauging device which afiects a control impulse to stop the machine for exchanging the blank or to indicate such trouble as soon as the blank is of inadmissible dimensions as a result of which the machine could be damaged. The magnitude of the excess dimension which should initiate the control impulse is adjustable by means of a set screw.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevational view of an automatic grinding machine;

Fig. 2 shows a detail of the machine, namely the arrangement of the gauging device and of the blank feeder and of the supply box at the point shortly before switching to begin a new series of operations; I

Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of the switching contacts on the gauging device, and

Fig. 4 shows a diagram of the machine illustrating the condition of the switching devices after advancing of thegrinding spindle at high speed and at the beginning of the coarse grindmg.

Hereinafter a grinding operation will be described for longitudinal grinding with tool approach at one end of the carriage movement with additional idle travel of the carriage without approach and reverse for the exchange of the blank at the end of travel where the approach is effected.

Upon the bed I of the automatic grinding machine rests a longitudinally movable supporting carriage 2 in the usual manner, which supports the blank locking means with respect to which the tail stock point 3 is arranged to be automatically movable. Between the blank locking means is located the blank 4. During grinding operation it is attached by the arms 5 and 6 of a gauging device 1 which is movably supported around a pivotB upon the table 2 of the machine. A spring 9 holds the gauging device in gauging position.

In the phase of the automatic operations illustrated in Fig. 4 the piston 51 has just reached its operative position at high speed in the high speed cylinder 59 and brought the grinding disc l2 closely to the blank i. The further approach takes place at low speed by means of the approach cylinder 52, its piston 53, piston rod 55, tooth gear drive 55 and spindle drive 5t.

The piston 53 is under the full pressure of the oil supplied by oil pressure pump 57 durin the entiregrinding operation but it can only move to the extent that the return oil can move out of the approach cylinder 52 by way of tube 58, control valve 18, tube H and the control devices connected thereto. It must first pass through an adjustable check valve 59 by means of which the amount of approach during the coarse grind is adjusted. In the direction of flow there is a smooth out valve 5% which does not ofier any resistance to the flow of the oil during the coarse grinding but automatically chokes the oil flow through an adjustable passage so that only a small quantity of oil can flow OE and the approach is correspondingly decreased. The return oil then passes through a tube 51 to a control passage 62 by means of which the return flow is completely interrupted upon termination of the grinding operation. A duct 63 leads the return voil through passage 6 which is coupled to the carriage reverse cook 29 and which permits oil flow only briefly while in its center position'dur- .ing the reversingof,theLcarriage travel.

The return oil then arrives at a'lockpiston 65 the piston of which normally is only under oil pressure during one travel phase of the'supporting carriage against the effect of a spring thus opening the passage for the return oil by means of a control member 6! which is likewise coupledwith the carriage reversing cook 20. The oilcan'then flow from this look piston through duct (i'liin the return duct 26 and to the sump of the'pump. It is naturally possible to arrange a valve in which the input ducts to the control member 61 are exchanged or connected therewith in such a manner that the piston 95 is only under oil pressure in one or the other, or in both end positions of the carriageand open-sthe passage for the return oil,

' Duringcoarse grinding, duct 68 carries pressureio-il which acts upon. the auxiliary control valves and 14 through thechannels 69 and 1a, butittisstill closed. in the position. illustrated. If

the desired preliminary dimension has been obtained :in coarse grinding a crcuit is closed by means. of two contacts I5 in the gauging device Y62 and duct 63 as already described above. Now

the fine grinding operation begins.

When the final dimension has been arrived at during the fine grinding a second circuit is closed in the measuring device by means of two contacts BI which energizes the magnet 82 so that the auxiliary control slide valve M is attracted by it. Pressure oil arrives under the reversing slide 85 through duct by way of ducts 83 and 84, places it in its out off position in which the control slot 62 for the return oil of the approach cylinder is cut off so that the approaching is stopped; the pressure oil, furthermore, reaches the retarding piston 86 by way of duct 92 where it is first prevented from entering.

Finally the pressure oil arrives at the check valve 88 through duct 8'! whence it gets under the retarding piston 86 through duct 89 and to the reversing slide 85 by way of duct 99 where at first it cannot proceed. The oil above the delaying piston 85 passes through duct 9! into duct 63 through the control slot. 6 looking piston 65, ductfifi and flows oil in the same manner as the return. oil of the approaching cylinder. Thus the retarding piston can move intermittently onlyat one end of the travel of the supporting carriage or steadily. during thercutting grinding operation.

When the retarding piston 85 has reached its extreme position upon execution of a number ofstrokes o-f'the sup-porting carriage 2, as determined by the adjustment of the control valve 88, the pressure fluid enters under the switching piston I0 through tubes 92 and 93 and pushes it quickly into its out off position. If the delayed out out or switching operation is to be omitted the control valve 88 is adjusted in such a manner as to supply the pressure oil directlyunder the switching piston I9 through tube 94.

The switching piston I0 isconnected by means 0: piston" rod I5. .to; angle lever. I5, ;which; irjcturn cock I9. The,

is coupled to a cut-off cock l1 forithe:travel: .of the supporting carriage 2, a control cock 1 8-11501 the approach of the grinding spindle carriage II and a control cock I9 for the advancing ofhthe carriage at high speed. All the cooks I1, I8 and I9 are simultaneously shifted during the-switching. The table support or supporting carriage. 2 stands still, the side I2 of the piston .53 which previously constituted the back side'is-supplied with pressure 0il,'the approaching arrangement returns while thereturn oil flows to the sump;of the pump from the front of the approaching piston 53 through duct 95, control'cock I8 and duct 95 and the previous backside of the :high speed piston 5| is also-supplied with pressure'oil through duct I 22: The return oil from the front of the' high speed piston 5| flows also into the sump of the" pump aby Way of a check valve. 91 and control cock I9. At theisame time the operation of theservomotor 29 begins. Pressureioil is fed under 'piston3ll by way of duct 98 andan adjustable choke valve 99 by which the movement of the high. speed piston 5| andpiston 39 of the servomotor '29 are coordinated, andthe piston moves in the direction of the tail stock point 3. A piston rod 32, is rigidly connected-to piston 39, carrying a toothed rack 33 at oneend, which turns a control shaft SI by way of a gear 34. A roller I99 is seoured'to the control shaft.

As the control shaft 3I is turned the gauging device is pulled back by a pulley arrangement. 35. As the withdrawing of the gauging device begins the circuits for the magnets of theauxiliarycontrol slide valves are interrupted at the contact I23, so that the auxiliary slide valves 73 and I4 are returned to their initial positions by springs IOI and I92. Also returned to their initial positions are reversing valve 85 by spring I 93,retarding piston 85 by spring Hit and the piston-19 of the smooth out valve 69 by spring I85. Since all ducts in the control block in whichthese elements are brought together are now without pressure the oil quantities displaced by the control elements can flow into the sump through ducts I24, 84, 83, by way of auxiliary slide valve '14, duct I8 by way of auxiliary slide Valve I3, and through duct 99 by wayv of reversing valve 85. This does not cause any switching operations in the control block. The on quantities present and displaced in the cylinder 28 of the servomotor can flow oil through check valve I35, while the oil infront of the locking piston 45 can flow through check valve I06 and control iston d5 moves into locking posifluence offspring 4'! and bars tion under 1th the passage cylinder Ell,

The tail stock point 3 is pressed against the blank 4 byvspring 3B in a known manner. It is provided with teeth 39 .which-are connected to the gear rack 4| at the sat, sion of a piston 42 by way of a gear. 4. 9: which 1ST guided concentrically with piston39pflthe servomotor. Between the front plane's-I167, and I08 of the two pistons 42 and 39 a space I69 is provided as indicated in the position illustrated. Only after this space I09 has been traversed by the continued movement of the piston and the two front planes I9! and IfiB contacteach other displacement of piston 42-takes place pulling back the tail stock point 3 byway of gears 41, and 39 against the tension of, spring 38 freeing the blank to be exchanged. At-that instant the catch Hi] of the control shaft 3! has traveled the space I II in the. cutnut nortiomof. feeder lever: I3; and the n control cock I9 tohigh speed:

blank 4 is removed. In the extreme position of the feeder lever I3 a retaining claw I4 opens upon contact with the oblique plane I I2 and the completed Work piece 4 slides over this oblique plane into a collecting box. In the position of the piston 30 which corresponds to this position of the feeder lever I3 a groove I I3 on the piston rod 32 connects a control duct H4 in the servomotor with a duct H5. The duct II5 which now carries pressure oil supplies the piston I25 by way of duct I I6 for stepping up the blank supply. A new blank 31 drops into the feeding claw I4 of the lever I3. Simultaneously the reversing piston I is supplied through duct Ill and consequently is again brought into the In position. The reversing piston simultaneously switches the angle lever I6 and accordingly also control cocks I1, I8 and I9 to the In position. No movement of the table support or of the grinding spindle carriage takes place at this time because the fluid passage to the two cylinders is still locked. Pressure oil first gets into the cylinder space 28 of the servomotor 29 only by way of control cock I9 through an adjustable choke 21 and moves the piston 30 again in the direction of the control shaft 3I. The tooth gear 33 at the end of the piston rod 32 of piston 30 moves the control shaft 3I by means of toothed gear 34 into the initial position while the feeder lever with the new blank is returned by the pressure of spring 36.

As soon as the blank has attained its operating position and as the piston 30 moves farther back the tail stock point 3 again moves into tensioned position under the force from spring 38. During the last portion of the movement of piston 30 through the space I09 to its starting position also the gauging device is returned to gauging position by spring 9. Only in this gauging position the electrical circuit, which had been interrupted at contacts I23 as the withdrawing of the gauging device started, is conditioned for supplying impulses. However, no impulse is given as yet because the circuit is still interrupted at the contacts of the gauging arms. Simultaneously the tensioned position of the tail stock point is attained and groove 43 around piston 42 establishes a connection between a control duct 44 in the servomotor 29 and a duct 46 which leads in front of the locking piston 45 so that this piston is displaced against the pressure of a spring 41 and as a result fluid pressure reaches the high speed cylinder 50 from duct 48 via groove 49 in the lock piston 45 and the piston moves the grinding spindle carriage II at high speed into operating position.

Simultaneously, the carriage movement begins within the limits of the carriage speed adjusted by means of the carriage control 25. Only now the new operation of the coarse grinding begins. The slide reversal is started by means of handles 2I which shift the carriage levers cock by means of a hand lever 22 and a forked lever 23. If the hand lever 22 is set in its center position the machine is ready for cutting grinding operations.

If the tail stock 3 should move beyond its position of tension in the absence of a blank a circuit is closed between the tail stock point and the associated gear by contacts H8 and H9 which produces an impulse for magnet 82 of the auxiliary control valve 14 and initiates a shifting operation simulating the exchange of the blank or it stops the machine and operates a signalling device. If, however, the new blank has inadmissible dimensions the arms 5 and 6 of the gauging device I 8,, are separated beyond the normal extent and two contacts I20 and I 2| also release an impulse for the blank exchanging operation or for stopping the machine, or for operating a signalling device.

We claim:

1. In an automatic grinding machine including a table carriage, a grinding disc carriage, a rapid approach mechanism including a piston and cylinder connected to move said grinding disc carriage, a movably mounted blank feeding means, a tail stock having a movable center, a movably mounted blank gauging means including contacts or the like capable of emitting control impulses, a control means adapted to coordinate the operation of the machine including a reversing piston connected to said rapid approach mechanism and control valves actuated in response to said impulses to apply pressure to said reversing piston, a servomotor comprising a cylinder housing a first piston connected to move said gauge means and blank feeding means into and out of operative position and a second piston disposed adjacent said first piston and spaced therefrom and connected to move said tail stock center.

2. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cylinder and piston for moving said grinding disk carriage are connected with the cylinder of said servomotor by pressure conduits including choke valves and check valves connected parallel thereto and a lock piston having a groove.

3. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1, including a shaft pivotally supporting said blank gauging means, a rack carried by said first piston, a control shaft supporting a pulley and having operative engagement with said rack, a chain extending between said pulley and said gauging means adapted to withdraw said gauging means and a spring extending between said gauging means and the support therefor adapted to pull said gauging means into operative position.

4. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tail stock includes a biasing spring and said second piston in said servomotor includes a rod and rack in operative engagement with a gear having engage ment with a rack associated with said tail stock center, whereby said second piston is adapted to move said tail stock center against the action of said spring upon said first piston traversing said space between said pistons.

5. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tail stock includes a biasing spring and said second piston in said servomotor includes a rod and rack in operative engagement with a gear having engagement with a rack associated with said tail stock center, whereby said second piston is adapted to move said tail stock center against the action of said spring upon said first piston traversing said space between said pistons, and said blank feeding means is rotatably mounted upon a control shaft including a. detent and a gear in operative engagement with said first piston and is adapted to permit idle travel of said detent and to be carried along by said detent upon covering an idle path greater than the space between said first piston and said second piston.

6. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1 comprising in association with said first piston in said servomotor a piston rod having a groove, and pressure conduit means in alignment with said groove while said second piston is in tail stock withdrawal position, said conduit being associated with a piston and a cylinder capabl of advancing a Work blank and with the actuating side of said reversing piston.

7. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said gauging device includes adjustable contacts, adapted to touch and emit control impulses in response to the members of said gauging device being extended beyond predetermined limits by a working blank.

8. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1 comprising a pair of switchin contacts operatively associated with the tail stock center and adapted to touch and emit an impulse in the absence of a blank, thereby indicating the defect.

9. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1, comprising a pair of switching contacts operatively associated with the tail stock center and adapted to touch and emit an impulse in the absence of a blank, thereby operating the reversing piston and introducing a new work blank.

10. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1 including means adapted to emit a control impulse adapted by way of magnets and auxiliary control valves to release pressure upon said reversing piston, a delaying piston adapted by way of an adjustable choke to share and respond to said pressure, control passages in the cylinder of said delaying piston disposed to open said passages in the extreme position of said delaying piston and permitting free flow of pressure fluid to said reversing piston.

11. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1 including a delaying piston and cylinder, a first control member adapted to reverse the movement of the table carriage associated with a hand lever and a forked lever operated by arms on said carriage, a second control member adapted to regulate the flow of pressure fluid displaced by said delaying piston, said second control member being operated by said first control member in a manner that during longitudinal grinding the control passage for the fluid return flow is open in the end positions of the table carriage, thereby permitting movement of said delaying piston in the said end positions.

12. Control means for a grinding machine in accordance with claim 1 including a delaying piston and cylinder, a first control member adapted to reverse the movement of the table carriage and associated with a hand lever and a forked lever operated by arms on said carriage, a second control member adapted to regulate the flow of pressure fluid displaced by said delaying piston and a third control member adapted to determine the position of a lock piston having a control passage for fluid return flow associated with one end position of said table carriage thereby permitting movement of said delaying piston only in said one end position of said table carriage.

HELMUT G. CRAMER. GEORG KOPPENWALLNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,997,551 Romaine Apr. 9, 1935 2,117,917 Silven May 17, 1938 2,150,749 Price et a1 Mar. 14, 1939 2,183,490 Flygare Dec. 12, 1939 2,229,312 Silven et al Jan. 21, 1941 2,335,356 Price et a1 Nov. 30, 1943 2,453,678 Silven Nov. 9, 1948 FCREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 523,199 Great Britain July 9, 1940 

